The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-05

and Danish the idea that words spoken
are only agitated air and, reflect upon
the words, when thou CONTEST before
God, let thy words be few, for God is in
heaven and thou upon earth, therefore
be not rash with thy mouth" Eccl. wy
To come to Joseph Cook who could
talk so fluently on capitalization in sin,
we would say if he had run through
Webster he could scarcely have found
word less fitted to express his terrible
idea. But a paradoxical intellect is
good at startling expressions. What
suggestions of transparency, beauty
and order in that word crystal! Ruskin
could see beauty in the SCOT of London
mud, as from that black, Stunned sub
stance comes the diamond through the
process of disqualification. If Joseph
Cook could have entertained more than
one idea on the word he might have
seen that material capitalization is I'M
iformly from the crude and unshapely,
to the orderly and regular, as is seen in
all crystals. A new idea might have
struck him if he had thought upon "If
God so clothe the lilies of the feld,"
and extended the thought inquiringly:
Is God so immanent and regardful of
unconscious matter as to endow it with
an energy to obey the law from the
lower to the higher ? Is he less i'm
manent and resourceless carry out
the fgure-in the capitalization of
jewels wherewith to crown the brow Of
the R8deemsr ? If he gives ages for
that which is black aud unseemly, to
become the diamond, is it reasonable TO
suppose he will be economical with
time for the bringing to perfection
jewels far transcending the topaz or
ruby? The Importance, nature and dura-
tion Of the soul demands more than the
1eshly life, which, compared with eter-
nifty, is less than the least mathemati
Cal point Of time. Aud this demand is
so just and right that our God will re-
spect it, though theologiaus do not.
Let rs look at the heartless express
sion of DR.. Withrow: 1.-The church
has no time to spend on dead pagans."
Perhaps not. That is not the question.
The dead sleep well. They are within
the embrace Of the infinite arms Of love,
and can dispense with the impotent
help of man. But in the living aged
Hindoo who has tasted of the cup of
salvation, a natural human feeling will
arise, What Of my son or daughter and
no gospel cup of salvation was ever
within reach of their lips?
Shall missionaries who go to heather
lands to announce the good news,
''Peace on earth, good will to man," be
debarred from allaying torturing ankle
ties and giving comfort, when it is the
very purpose of the gospel to allay anx-
ieties and render comfort? Shall lips
be closed against giving consolation
from passages that seem so pertinent
to the point in question? o what a
sweet, broad, comprehensive gospel of
hopei is there in the words of an Apostle:
"That we may be able to comfort them
who are in any trouble, with the same
comfort that we ourselves are comfort
ed of God in Christ Jesus" Shall the
words of Peter never bs whispered into
the ear: "For this cause was the gospel
preached to them that are dead that
they might be judged according to men
in the flesh, but live according TO God
in the spirit" Shall the leaves of the
tree Of life which are for the healing Of
the nations outside the new Jerusalem
not be pressed for the lip that asks
what of the untold millions who never
heard the good news? Dead pagans,
dead Christians:
"There they alike in trembling hope repose,
The bosom of their father and their God"
And DR.. Withrow's heart, in spite of
his cruel creed, when he comes to the
grave of son or daughter of a member
of his flock, who gave no evidence of
true Christian character, will throb in
sympathy with the hearts of the be-
reaved ones and see star of hope in
the heaven of Gods eternal love and
goodness. NH.